Ubuntu
gnome-session package

editing system autostarted .desktop should create an user modified version instead of ignoring the change

Bug #40673 reported by Celso Pinto
12
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
gnome-session
Fix Released
High
gnome-session (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Medium
Ubuntu Desktop Bugs
Ubuntu ubuntu-6.06

Bug Description

After a clean installation I noticed that beagled was using a lot of resources (>90% CPU) and I tracked this to be an EvolutionMail indexer issue so I want beagled to start with a --deny-backend EvolutionMail.

I headed to System/Preferences/Sessions to change beagled's startup command and I was allowed to do so. I changed the command and to give it a try I logged out and logged in again. A while after login, I noticed that CPU was again being hogged and I tracked it again to beagled. I noticed that the argument I set in gnome-session-properties wasn't there so I executed it again and I noticed that the argument I provided was missing.

I'm pretty sure this is because I can't change the file /etc/xdg/autostart/beagled.desktop although I haven't tested this theory by changing the permissions of that file, to allow me to write to it.

In any case, if a user changes the arguments of a command listed on the system default autostart, maybe the corresponding autostart .desktop file should be copied to ~/.config/autostart so that the changes can be applied.

Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

Thanks for your bug. I've forwarded it upstream: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=342031

Would be nice to fix for dapper

Changed in gnome-session:
assignee: nobody → desktop-bugs
status: Unconfirmed → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Gary Coady (garycoady) wrote :

Patch to (almost) allow editing of .desktop files. The previous patch which disabled the "Edit" button will need to be modified, but I don't have time to work on that right now.

Revision history for this message
Gary Coady (garycoady) wrote : Write .desktop file locally if changes are made

Creates a common function for writing a desktop file into the home directory instead of in /etc/xdg/autostart. Uses that for editing/enabling/disabling startup programs.

Revision history for this message
Gary Coady (garycoady) wrote : Updated patch to (de)sensitize appropriate buttons

The Edit button needs to be sensitive, if we want to edit .desktop files. This patch should do that (replace the existing patch on the subject).

Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

Thank you Gary, I've uploaded a package with those changes which fixes the issue:

 gnome-session (2.14.1-0ubuntu10) dapper; urgency=low
 .
   * debian/patches/18_desensitize_buttons_correctly.patch:
     - patch update by Gary Coady <email address hidden>
     - it's possible to use the edit button now
   * debian/patches/18_startup_edit_all.patch:
     - patch by Gary Coady <email address hidden>
     - make startup files edition possible (Ubuntu: #40673)

There a small bug though, it should be possible to delete an edit .desktop to use the system default one again

Changed in gnome-session:
status: Confirmed → Fix Released
Revision history for this message
Gary Coady (garycoady) wrote : Re: [Bug 40673] Re: editing system autostarted .desktop should create an user modified version instead of ignoring the change

Sebastien Bacher wrote:
> There a small bug though, it should be possible to delete an edit
> .desktop to use the system default one again
>
 I know - but that would probably need a UI change - change the "Delete"
button to "Revert" in such a case? I'm not sure that such a change would
be very intuitive, but it's the first thought that comes to mind.
Actually implementing the deletion internally would be quite trivial.

Also, such a change impacts help documentation.

Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

Right, that's not something to change for dapper. If we do a change that's just activating the delete button to allow to use system variant again

Bug Watch Updater (bug-watch-updater)
Changed in gnome-session:
status: Unconfirmed → Confirmed
Bug Watch Updater (bug-watch-updater)
Changed in gnome-session:
status: Confirmed → Fix Released
Bug Watch Updater (bug-watch-updater)
Changed in gnome-session:
importance: Unknown → High
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